Two cartons joined as a single unit separable into two single cartons

A dual cigarette carton for packaging a first number of cigarette packs and of dimensions compatible with commercially available tax-stamping machinery used in the automated processing of cigarette cartons, each said cigarette pack having a pair of opposed long walls and a pair of opposed short walls, said dual cigarette carton comprising:

• first and second cartons each having four substantially vertical walls, an exterior top wall, and an exterior bottom wall;
• said four substantially vertical walls including an interior front wall, an exterior rear wall substantially parallel and spaced from said interior front wall, and first and second exterior side walls connecting juxtaposed vertical edges of said interior front wall and said exterior rear wall;
• wherein
• said exterior rear wall has an extension along the top edge thereof, said extension being folded substantially perpendicular to said exterior rear wall and extending towards said interior front wall, thereby forming said exterior top wall;
• the widths of said interior front wall and said exterior rear wall are at least as wide as a second number of times the width of the long wall of said cigarette pack;
• the widths of said exterior side walls are at least as wide as a third number of times the width of the short wall of said cigarette pack;
• a fourth number of cigarette packs, equal to the product of said second number of times the width of the long wall of said cigarette pack and said third number of times the width of the short wall of said cigarette pack, can be positioned inside said first carton with said short walls parallel said side walls;
• and
• said first and second cartons are positioned adjacent one another with said interior front wall of said first carton coextensive with said interior front wall of said second carton such that the borders of said interior front walls are aligned;
• said dual cigarette carton further comprising:
• releasable, pressure-sensitive adhesive applied between said interior front wall of said first carton and said interior front wall of said second carton to securely yet releasably connect said cartons in position adjacent one another such that the borders of said interior front walls are aligned;
• and
• at least one substantially flat carrier means having a first side and a second side, and an adhesive borne on one side of said carrier means, said carrier means bearing said adhesive being positioned across at least one pair of adjacent, coplanar, exterior walls of said first and second cartons with said adhesive in operative contact with said last mentioned exterior walls to securely yet releasably connect said cartons in position adjacent one another such that the borders of said interior front walls are aligned;
• wherein:
• said dual cigarette carton is dimensioned to contain twice the fourth number of cigarette packs, which is equal to said first number of cigarette packs.